


Sing Out

by aphoticdepths



Category: UTAU, Vocaloid
Genre: Abusive Relationships, F/F, F/M, Gore, Horror, Multi, Mystery, characters and warnings will be added as they appear, i do not want to spoil anyone, overuse of ellipses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-02-21 07:52:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2460611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphoticdepths/pseuds/aphoticdepths
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People keep saying this trip will end badly, but I think that's stupid. After all, curses don't exist, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Divided Destinies Arc Beginning

The sky is dark, and I'm covered in blood.

Their blood. **** blood.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I killed them. I killed *********. I am a monster. I killed them. I killed them.

Their head is broken. They look so pretty with red hair...

Fuck. I'm sick. I'm sick. I'm sick. I'm sick.

I killed them. No...I killed ***.

I should die too. **********************************, so we should die together.

I should die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die! I want to die! I want to die! I want to die! I want to die!

I raise the weapon towards myself. Just because I used it to bludgeon *** to death doesn't mean that I can't use it to stab myself.

I'm sorry. But that won't do anything now. I can only atone by doing this.

My death is the only appropriate response. I must die. It's all I can do now.

I plunge the weapon into my stomach.

* * *

Honestly, things like this always are a bit annoying. A group trip with the others working under the Yamaha recording label...

Of course, I know that it's because the press is bored. That's the only reason that they let a reporter come. It still manages to make this even more annoying.

As if I called on her, the reporter girl laughs. She's talking with one of our special guests further up on the bus that someone working at Yamaha rented for this trip. They aren't fans or reporters, at least. Kasane-san and Sukone-san are just guests from the indie record label UTAU.

I try to go back to reading, but everyone else won't stop talking. Their voices bore into my head as I try to focus on the page. It's just too much...

"Len-sama?"

"What is it?" I snap before I realize who had spoken. Oh no.

Sukone-san. I've talked to her many times before and...

I smooth my hair back. "H-Hello, Sukone-san! Sorry I yelled at you!" I smile at her brightly. Maybe like this she'll think I'm cool...

"Oh, it's okay." She smiled at me.

I swallow hard. "Y-Yeah. I..." She's so close to me. Okay, Len, stay calm. You can do this...I wish I knew how to talk to anyone. This is so embarrassing...

"Len-sama? Are you all right?" Sukone-san leaned closer. Was she wearing some kind of perfume? I wasn't sure what it was, but it wasn't like I could sniff it...that would be creepy. I don't want to be seen as creepy, but what if she thinks I'm creepy already? She does, doesn't she!?

"Y-you don't have to call me Len-sama!" I burst out, leaning away from her. "I mean, it just seems kind of too formal, you don't have to do that! But you don't have to do what I say if you don't want to, I mean..."

"Well, I respect you a lot." Tei giggles a little. "So that just seems like an appropriate way to talk to you."

She...did Sukone-san just say that she respects me?!

No, that's just stupid. I'm not a person to be looked up to. I'm just a worthless loser. "Er, you really think that?! I mean, uh..." I bite my lip.

"I do! So, are you still reading that book-Clotûre of Yellow, I think it was called?"

"Yes. Did you start on reading it? I remember-"

"Yes, I did. I don't read much, but I think it's really good!"

"Yeah, it is. I really think that Princess Riliane is one of the best villains even in that series. Especially that bit where she and Allen are playing tag and she orders his head cut off...*" I can't keep the smile from my face whenever I talk about books. I must be embarrassing myself, but for once, I don't really care. "It was so creepy. She really doesn't think like a little kid at all..."

Tei's scarlet eyes were distant for a moment. "A bit like your sister, right?"

"What?!" I back away from her.

My sister, Rin Kagamine...

She's...we're not very close. We used to be, but over the years, we've grown apart. Rin's very rude, that much I know. Even though she and I don't talk much, I've still seen her get into many fights...

Still, she's nothing like the evil princess from that book!

"Ah, did I say something wrong? I'm sorry..." Tei bowed.

"...Rin isn't like that. That's all." I sigh. "I know she can seem like that, but...she really isn't like that. She's nice on the inside." I think.

"I see." Tei smiles. "And Allen reminds me of you."

"What?!" I stared at her. "I'm nothing like him. Maybe at the beginning of the book, but...he's a-wait, crap. I can't tell you. Spoilers. I'm really sorry, but..."

"No, it's okay! I wouldn't want you to spoil anything!" Tei grinned. "I really can't wait to see what happens next."

"Where are you right now?" I asked.

"Right now...ah, I'm still near the beginning. Leonhart is talking to Germaine about the food shortage."

"Well, uh..." How should I tell her that I really want her to read it without making it sound like I want her to stop talking to me?

"Don't worry. I'm going to read it and stop talking about how the little I've read is." She smiled. "Er, I'm going to go now. Goodbye." She waved a little, and I waved back.

Dammit, why do I always have to be so awkward? I'm such a loser! Why couldn't I have found some way to extend the conversation! This is so pointless...

Again, it's hard for me to focus on the words with all the background noise, even though this is my second read through the book.

I really am nothing like Allen. He may be blond like me, but that's it.

He's a hero. He's a bad person in the beginning, but in the end, he's amazing. He sacrifices himself to save those he cares about.

That's nothing like me.

* * *

Finally, the bus we rented comes to a stop. I quickly walk out, getting out before everyone else.

"Len-kun, slow down! You have to let this be equal instead of just getting the best room before the rest of us!" That's Kaito-senpai. He's been here a longer time than me. He's always smiling, and a very nice person. He keeps trying to be friends with me. He's a bit of an idiot, though. I don't really like people like that.

"Yeah, I guess." I stop walking.

"Yeah, no fair!" That voice comes from behind us, and I turn.

"Senpai, wait!"

That's my sister and Hatsune Miku. Miku ran towards me and Kaito with her teal pigtails flying, dragging her luggage in one hand and Rin in the other.

Rin looks so shocked and worried. I guess she might not always be cold. Or, at least not near an idol like Miku.

We're all fairly big stars here(well, except Tei, Teto and that Akita reporter girl), but Miku is easily the biggest. She's followed by the press everywhere, so Akita-san's prescence here must not be that surprising for her.

I've seen posters of her all over our house. Rin really likes her-or at least, likes her music.

Miku beams at us. "Hi, everyone! Sorry me and Rin-chan are late, but-"

"Oh no, you're not late!" Kaito laughs. "It's just that we're both really early. The others will probably be here soon."

"Well, then..." Rin grinned. "Why don't we steal all the good rooms? The others can't be there quickly enough."

"No!" Kaito's eyes were huge in shock. "You can't! Also, I need to greet Mei-chan..."

"Meiko-senpai and you spent the entire time with each other. What's she even doing-"

The doors opened again, and a larger group came out. It was that reporter girl, accompanied by Sukone-san and her superior in the UTAU group, Kasane-san. Kasane-san...well, I don't really know her that well, but she seems pretty...strange. Meiko-senpai and this girl named Ia followed them.

Meiko-senpai...she's just scary, plain and simple. She's also...well, I don't want to be rude, but she's really not that popular. She has a fanbase, but there's not a lot of them...

Ia, well, I honestly don't know much about her. I know that she doesn't like to talk much, and that's about it. A bit like me, then.

"Heeeello, everybody!" Kasane-san spun around dramatically, Sukone-san ducking out of the way of her suitcase. "I'm fine! And how are you?"

Meiko-senpai walked towards us faster, her long strides tense with anger. Really, if Kasane-san annoys her, how in the world can she date Kaito? It makes no sense...

Ia-san simply walked towards us a moment behind Sukone-san and the others.

"Hello!" Miku waved frantically. "Er, is there anyone else?"

"Gakupo and Luka." Meiko shrugged. "When we left, they were arguing over luggage. I'm pretty sure they must be making out right now."

Kaito laughed. "Kids these days..." Oh, come on. You aren't even that much older than them. What, two years?

Even though they're adults like Kaito and Meiko, Gakupo-san and Luka-san are both new idols, just like us. Both are pretty popular, though Luka more than Gakupo. They're dating, and they can't keep their hands off each other...

I see two figures-one purple-haired and one pink-haired-walk towards us, both carrying their luggage. Luka walks towards us, her long pink hair flying around her like a cloud.

"I believe we are all here." Luka-san's face is expressionless as usual. She's really kind of scary sometimes...

Kaito grinned. "Now, it's time for us to enter this place! You kids go on ahead, I need to talk with Meiko."

Sheesh, he isn't even that much older than us...well, most of us. Rin and I are only a step above child stars.

Still...I walk into the house.

* * *

Meiko hissed, red eyes cold. "This...it's a terrible idea."

Kaito intertwined his fingers with hers. "Don't worry, Mei-chan. I'm sure it can't be as bad as that. Even so...shouldn't we have told them?"

" _No."_ Meiko stared at her feet.

"I know." Kaito smiled. "I'm sure it would be pointless to tell them. It would just make them worried." Meiko nodded. "Still...it's not at all a good thing, is it? They should know, if only so we could scare them."

"No." Meiko shook her head. "Anyway, that 'thing'...the curse that they talked about...there's no way it can be real."

*Technically, this happened in The Daughter of Evil Act 1, not Clotûre of Yellow. But I'm the author. I control this world. _I do what I want._


	2. Divided Destinies Arc I

Teto dropped off her heavy suitcase, moving it as if it was little effort, and collapsed on one of the beds of the room she had chosen to share with Neru, kicking her legs in the air. "There! That's that done~! So, Neru-chan, what did you want to ask me?" She grinned. "You mentioned some kind of interview earlier..."

The blonde frowned, intently looking at her. She sat down on the bed next to Teto. "Well, I was a bit wary to ask this around the others, but...Teto-san, do you think it's going to be bad luck?"

The magenta-haired singer tilted her head to one side, her ringlets falling against the bedsheets. "Eh? What's going to be bad luck?"

"This was used for a trip once before, you know." Neru raised her golden eyebrows meaningfully.

"I don't get it." Teto frowned. "What are you talking about?"

The blonde sighed, looking at her feet.

"You can tell me!"

"I'm talking about the disaster of five years ago."

"Oh. That." The usually energetic singer seemed deflated. "Just...don't talk about that, okay? It was...really hard to deal with."

"I know." Neru nodded. "I'm sorry if I made you feel bad..."

"No, I'm fine." Teto smiled.

"If you say so." Neru shrugged.

That disaster...it must have been horrible for Teto. The media had cast all kind of suspicion on her at that time, even though she'd been able to confirm the true culprit.

Neru pitied her.

* * *

Rin sits down on her bed, already made with a yellow checked bedspread. "So. We're rooming together."

"Yeah." I answer, trying not to meet her gaze.

"...why couldn't they just have given us separate rooms?" Rin kicks her legs against the base of the bed, looking at the ceiling. "It's not like it would be that hard."

She really doesn't want to room with me. Well, that is kinda reasonable. I wouldn't want to room with me either...and it's just as awkward for me as it is for her to share a room.

I shrug, and stand up, trying to change the subject. "I'm going to go see Sukone-san. She might need help unpacking her things."

"Sukone-san?"

"That girl from Utau. She has silver hair, and-"

"Yeah, I remember her now." Rin lifts one shoulder. "See you."

I nod, and quickly walk out of the room.

It's about at that point I remember that I don't know where Sukone-san was rooming.

Well, there is a common room. I could go down there. Maybe there would be a book in there...

I really don't get this sort of thing, do I? I'm such an idiot.

* * *

Miku knocked on the door. "Rin-chan!"

"M-Miku-sama!" The door opened quickly, and Rin was standing on the other side.

"I wanted to talk with you more!" Miku grinned. "So I-"

"N-No! You don't need to justify talking with me, Miku-sama!"

"Okay~!" Miku smiled brightly-her cutest smile. That one had been winning over everyone from fellow stars to reporters to teenage boys since she was young. It did its job-which was kind of weird, considering that Rin was a girl. The blonde, red-faced, looked down at her scuffed black sneakers. "Come in."

Miku smiled, and walked in, sitting on the empty bed across the room from Rin's. She could tell the other one was Rin's because the girl's manga was on it(hey, was that a magical girl on the cover? Looked like Rin wasn't so tough after all), in addition to the orange peels that just seemed to accumulate wherever the blonde was.

"Hey, where's Len?" Miku asked.

Rin shrugged. "He said he was going to visit that girl from Utau."

Miku gasped, hands flying over her mouth. "Kasane-san!? Isn't she, like, thirty?"

"No. Shizuma? Some last name that starts with-"

"Sukone Tei?" Miku asked.

"Yep. That's it."

"You two really should talk more." Miku sighed.

"Who? Me and Sukone?"

"No!" Miku giggled. "You and _Len!_ "

"Yeah." Rin muttered, eyes downcast.

"You're brother and sister. You should talk more! I'd love it if you were closer!"

"Yeah."

Miku crossed her arms and huffed, looking away. "Rin! Don't just say 'yeah' like that!"

"What do you-" Rin covered her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Miku-sama!"

"You don't need to be!" Miku beamed. "I just want to be your friend! And I want you and Len to reconcile!"

"We never were that close." Rin muttered, staring down at her feet. She shuffled them together.

Miku grinned. "That's all the more reason for you to get more close!" Curiosity was nagging at her about the twins. This should be interesting.

Rin frowned. "Okay..." She cast a glance at the door. "Look, Miku...Len and I...we couldn't be close."

"What do you mean?" Miku leaned forwards, trying to catch the details on Rin's face to see more.

Rin sighed. "Well...what happened when I was a child...with me and Len..."

"Yes?" Miku frowned.

"I don't remember any of it."

"What?" Miku frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

"I _know_ it doesn't." Rin sighed. "I just..." She hunched over, hair falling in front of her face. "I really can't remember anything. Mom says me and Len were really close then, but..."

"Does she know?"

"No." Rin smiled at Miku. "You're the only one who I've told about this."

"...thank you." Miku stood up, walking over to Rin's bed. "It's hard to talk from this far away, isn't it?" She took the magical girl manga-Musical, the cover read-and put it aside, sitting next to the blonde.

"Yeah." Miku noticed a hint of red coloring Rin's cheeks.

Oh. So Rin was like _that_ , then. She hadn't pegged her as a lesbian, but...

Miku smiled. "Rin, are you all right?"

"Huh?" The blonde swallowed. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine."

"I'm very glad of that. You know, I'd really like it if we were closer." The teal-haired girl moved closer to her, pressing her bare leg against Rin's(unfortunately, her shorts weren't as short as Miku's skirt, barring Miku from skin-on-skin contact).

Rin's face was approximately the color of a tomato. "Y...yeah. That would be really good. I mean."

"How nice. Now, what's this manga about?"

* * *

Luka turned the page of her book, eyes intently fixed on it.

_"God...please, forgive me." The teal-haired woman's hands grasped her cross tightly, knuckles going white. "I have committed sin that none would forgive me for. Give me  
_

A scream.

Luka raised her head to see Gakupo standing above her, hair disheveled and eyes wild.

"There's a ghost!" He pointed back towards where he had presumably come from.

"What? Ghosts don't exist." Luka shook her head.

"Sorry, Luka, but I saw it! I really did!"

"What? You really saw a ghost?" Len frowned. "That's crazy..." The blond had been reading with her up until this rude intrusion.

Gakupo nodded frantically. "Yes! It looked like a girl, in an old school uniform-I'm really not lying, I saw it!"

Luka raised one eyebrow. "Of _course_ you did."

Len gave the two of them a strange glance. "Well, supernatural phenomena have happened before. Did anything weird happen here in the past?"

Luka frowned. "If they had, someone would have told us. And ghosts and such do _not_ exist." Really, Len seemed like a smart boy. Why in the world did he believe in such things?

"I don't know." Len shrugged. "But, I guess, if you say so...I just don't think that you should cast things off so quickly. Gakupo, if you're feeling better, what did the ghost look like? I mean, sorry, you already told us. I'm really sorry-" Before the blond could continue, Gakupo had interrupted.

"Well, it had green hair and an old-fashioned girl's school uniform. And..." He took a shaky breath. "It had _no eyes_. Just bleeding empty sockets..."

"And you ran away?" Luka couldn't believe that part of the story. "You act all manly around us, and you run away as soon as you think you see a ghost?"

His eyes briefly widened. "Sorry, Luka. I know I'm terrible about that-"

There was quiet anger pulsing through Luka's low voice. "Terrible is _praise_ compared to that. Kagamine-san, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Ah..." The blond muttered. He shrugged. "I guess I'll go now." He stood up quickly, and walked away.

Luka frowned. What was wrong with him? He'd seemed so very uncomfortable...

"Why are you just standing there?" Luka turned to her boyfriend. "At least sit down, you idiot."

Nervously, he sat down quickly in the chair Len had just vacated. "Ah...it seems Kagamine-san left his book here." The violet-haired man frowned.

"I noticed." Luka rolled her eyes. How much more of an idiot could her boyfriend be?

"I'm sorry." He sighed.

"Did you really see a ghost?" She stared into his eyes. "That makes no sense."

"I...did. I promise."

"What happened?"

"I was going to the bathroom, and it appeared. It lunged at me and-I ran...away." He stared at his feet.

"Like a _coward._ " Luka restrained from spitting the words at him. God, how much of an idiot was that bastard? Why had she ever thought that he would be good for her? He was the worst.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm...worthless. I'm a coward." He leaned forwards, hair falling over his face. "I'm so sorry."

"You- _stop apologizing!_ Why are you doing this!? Why are you so _aggravating?_ Why can't you do anything _right?_ " Luka stood up, leaning over to him. Her voice had raised steadily, until she was shouting.

The pink-haired woman cast a nervous glance at the nearest room. She wondered who'd claimed it. If they were there, they would know what she

"I'm sorry." Gakupo's voice was quiet.

"STOP SAYING SORRY!" Luka drew back her hand, slapping him across the face.

Gakupo fell back against the chair. "I-"

"STOP IT!" Luka realized she was screaming by now. She had to be quiet, or else people would think she was...doing just what she was doing.

Which was...

Oh god.

She'd done it again. She'd lost her temper again.

"I'm so sorry, Gakupo. I'm so sorry." Luka clapped her hands over her mouth(a stupid childish gesture she'd thought she had gotten over by now). "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." Her shoulders began to shake with sobs. "It's my fault. I'm so sorry..."

She kept doing this. She was terrible. She was terrible to Gakupo. She was terrible to her parents.

Why had she even been born?

The pink-haired woman collapsed onto Gakupo, her arms around him as she sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay." He patted her on the back. "It's okay."


	3. Divided Destinies Arc II

Ia blew on her nails.

A lovely pink topcoat. If _Megurine Luka_ , who had the best pink hair Ia had ever seen, wasn't going to use pink in her color schemes, then Ia was going to take it for her. Fabulous.

She really didn't care about anything anyone else was doing. They were all rather boring, and she didn't like to talk to any of them-even Luka-senpai.

With a covert glance, she took out her iPod.

There would be no one to interrupt her. No one would hear...

Still, she felt nervous. But that was-

The door opened, and Ia jumped, stifling a scream in her highest register. She shoved her iPod under the pillow.

"Uh, Ia-san? Are you okay?" That voice was Kasane Teto.

Ia nodded, breathing deeply. "I'm sorry. You startled me."

"Your voice sounds kinda weird." The magenta-haired woman frowned.

"I have a sore throat." Ia shrugged.

"That's sad! Your voice sounds really nice when you sing! A little like Miku's, but still really nice!"

"Thank you." Ia smiled.

"You shouldn't be talking a lot if you have a sore throat!" Teto grinned at Ia. "You should be drinking warm beverages! Do you need me to get you some?"

The pale-haired girl nodded. Teto, at least, got a lot of things. She was a smart girl. Also, she got Ia hot beverages. That was a point in her favor, as far as Ia was concerned.

"By the way, Ia...you should probably stay in here for a while. I'm going down to the kitchen!"

"All right. What are you getting me, anyway?" Ia smiled.

Teto frowned as she thought, and then went back to her bright smile. "Lavender tea! It's delicious! I think Luka-san brought some!"

Ia giggled. "Okay. See if Luka-senpai got any tea."

"Don't talk so much! You'll hurt your throat!"

* * *

A knock on the door. Sukone Tei raised her head from the book Len had lent her.

"Who is it?"

The door opened, and she saw the face of that reporter girl, Akita Neru.

"Ah...Sukone-san." Neru frowned.

"What do you want?" Tei smiled.

"Have you seen Kasane-san anywhere around here?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

Neru frowned. "Not even you..."

"Not even I what?"

"Kasane-san..." Neru frowned. "She's..."

Tei stared at her in horror and disbelief.

Neru couldn't mean what she thought she meant. This wasn't a crappy horror movie. They weren't all going to die, right?

"Missing. We can't find her anywhere in the house. You're the only other Utau singer...where is she?"

"I don't know." Tei frowned. "She might have gone outside...did anyone see her?"

"Yes. Ia said that Teto had said that she was going to get her some tea, and then...no one saw her." Neru sighed. "I'm going to try to mastermind a search, but..."

"I'll help you, then."

The two women walked downstairs.

The rest of the group had gathered in the dining room, sitting around the table.

Neru sat down. "Everyone. Teto isn't anywhere in the house, so I'm going to want you to search the forest around here."

Miku sniffed. "I don't believe that you have the authority to tell us to do anything."

"Look, I just want us to find Kasane-san. I don't mean to order you around. We just find her." But...that wasn't the only thing on Neru's mind.

She was scared. Terrified, in fact. Was history repeating itself?

If they couldn't find Teto...things would be dangerous. There was no phone reception around here, no Internet. No way to be in contact with anyone...and they were stranded here for two weeks. No one had brought any cars, and it was a hard walk down to the village.

They could be in real trouble.

She took a deep breath. "Everyone should split up. No one on their own. I'm going to assign groups-Tei, you go with Len. Kaito, you're going with Meiko. Ia, you go with Luka. Gakupo, you're going with Rin. Miku, you're with me. Now...let's go and look."

Miku rolled her eyes. "Fine."

* * *

Meiko frowned, looking around the trees. "This is...weird. Really, really weird."

Kaito cupped his hands around his mouth, trying to make his voice heard. "Kasane-san! _Kasane-san!_ "

The brunette shook her head. "If she was anywhere near here, _someone_ would have found her. And she might not be coming back."

"Kasane-san!" Kaito took a deep breath, recovering himself, and looked at Meiko. "And why don't you think that? Do you mean-"

"Gakupo says he saw a ghost."

Kaito stared at her. "What? Mei-chan, I don't get it."

The woman took a deep breath, as if preparing herself. "A ghost of a girl. In a high school uniform. She had no eyes. And...he said she had green hair." Meiko spoke quietly.

The color drained from Kaito's face. " _No._ "

"She might have heard. He wouldn't stop talking about it. And...then, she ran away."

Kaito whimpered. "No, no, no, no...Meiko, he was imagining it. He had to be. He _had_ to be." Tremors shook the blue-haired man.

"I know. But Teto still could have run away if she heard it...but he _was_ imagining it, probably. There's no need to worry."

"I-I know. It's just..."

Meiko wrapped her arms around Kaito, pulling him close to her. "There's no need to worry, Kaito. It's all fake. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. And...we've put that time behind us. That's not going to ever affect us again."

"I..." Kaito leaned down, resting his chin on Meiko's head. "I know."

"Don't worry." Meiko smiled. "Now get off my head, you mutant giant. We weren't able to find her...let's just go back to the house.""

* * *

"Kasane-san?"

"Teto-senpai!"

The two of us walk through the woods, calling out her name.

It hasn't really been doing much, but we're still here. In the woods...together.

If this wasn't so creepy, I would be so happy right now. But it is...

Still, we're together-just the two of us.

I reach my hand out. "Uh. This is. Kinda. Creepy. So, I was wondering...like, if you were feeling scared..." God, why am I so awkward? "I-"

"Oh, don't worry." Tei smiles, as sweet and beautiful as always. "It _is_ scary..." She trailed off. "But...I'm sure Teto will be all right. Still, if you need reassurance..." We walk into a clearing.

"Yeah, I guess-"

That's when I trip over something, hard. I fall to the ground, my face hitting hard. My legs landed on something soft, though...and there's something sticky on it.

It hurts badly, but I sit up. If I look like a wimp in front of Tei... "Hey, what are my legs on?"

Tei screams, her face a rictus of terror.

I look down and...

That thing beneath my legs...Miku's lying there, her long teal hair spreading on the ground. My legs are across her chest. She could look like she was sleeping, but...there's a thin line of red liquid dripping down from her lips. I raise the leg that has something sticky on it. More red drips down, onto the knife sticking from the crimson spot on Miku's grey T-shirt.

_Oh no._

I jump away, moving as quickly as I can. Miku lies still on the ground. She might be alive and unconscious. She has to be...I tentatively pick up one limp arm.

But her wrist is cold and still.

I get up.

"L-Len..." Tei's voice is shaky.

"She's dead." I whisper. "D-D...oh god..."

I've never seen a dead body before. It isn't as gross as I thought. Yeah, there's a knife, but it looks like she's sleeping...

She's dead.

There's no phone collection, and we can't walk down into the village. We're going to have to wait to call the police.

She's dead.

Oh god, oh god, _Miku is really dead._

This is...I don't believe this. What is happening?

And then, I hear a piercing scream.

I look up. Standing in front of me is my sister, Kagamine Rin.

She's staring at Miku. Are those tears in her eyes? She falls to her knees besides Miku's body, holding it close to her.

"Y...you..."

Her eyes are downcast, and I can't see them beneath her hair. She looks up from Miku's body, tears running down her cheeks. She's looking past me...

"Sukone Tei, you _murderer!_ "

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now is where I am going to bring in...something.
> 
> It is not audience participation. It is, in fact, a reference to one of the series that inspired this.
> 
> You out there behind the fourth wall will bring up theories about the murder of the chapter. I will select one through RNG. And then, I will confirm if it is true/false.
> 
> However, I may refuse to confirm something. And I will exploit loopholes until I die. But I will not outright lie to you in these.


	4. Divided Destinies Arc III

"You...you two  _killed_  her! You killed Miku!" Rin shouts, tears streaming down her face. Her voice sounds like it's about to break.

If I was a good brother, I'd be able to comfort her now...but that wouldn't do anything, would it?

Am I just making excuses, saying that? I know I'm a terrible brother, but watching your sister cry is enough to slam that in.

'It's all going to be okay, so you don't have to cry.' That's what I should say...but I know it's not going to be okay.

The most important person to my older sister(or was she? I wish I knew more about her) was lying dead in her arms. There was no way that I could tell her that 'everything was going to be okay'.

Gakupo stands behind Rin. The way he looks at me and Tei...

I didn't kill Miku. That's what I want to say, but it doesn't come out of my mouth.

I didn't.

"You...you  _monsters_..." Rin sobs.

A cold wind blows through the clearing.

I didn't kill Miku...why can't I talk? It's terrifying. It's disgusting...

"Don't you call Len-sama a monster!" Tei shouts. Her voice sounds like it's about to break...

She didn't take it well, did she? She didn't even like Miku that much, from what I remembered...

"He is! You killed Miku!" The wind's blowing faster, whipping Rin's hair off her shoulders. "I...I  _hate_ you!" Rin yells, her voice cracking.

"Len didn't kill Miku! Don't you dare say that he's a killer! Len's a thousand times better than you!" Tei yells.

"Sukone-san, calm down!" Gakupo's usually quiet voice is raised. "Kagamine-kun, you too!"

Rin turns to him, tears drying as the wind whips against her face. "But she killed her! She k-killed Miku!"

"That's no way to-" Gakupo's words are cut off as thunder booms.

I look up at the darkening sky, and a drop of rain hits my face.

Gakupo fixes me with an icy glare. "Rin, even they should go inside..." The wind howls and the rain is coming down faster. The sky's already dark...

"We'll talk inside. Tomorrow...we'll call the police."

"I didn't. I didn't kill Miku." My voice is finally there, but it's still quiet.

He scoffs as we walk towards the house. "I'll be _right behind you."_  He has to speak up in the rain.

We make a weird procession-Gakupo following me and Tei, and Rin in front of us, trying to hold Miku off the muddy ground.

It's cold and wet, and when we finally get to the house, the door opens.

Neru gasps.

"Miku! You're back-what happened to Miku? Are you guys okay?"

Rin collapses on her knees and sobs.

* * *

Once they've explained what happens, Meiko coughs.

"Why is that still here with us?"

"What?" Neru turns towards her.

"The corpse. It's probably already decaying, isn't it?" Meiko's voice is carefully bored, and she leaned her head on her hand.

She wants to act like she's not scared, but she is...that's the sort of person that Meiko-senpai is, from what I've seen of her.

Still...that's such a cold thing to say.

"Don't..." Rin sniffs, and Kaito starts looking in his bag for something. "D-Don't say that..."

"What?" Meiko asks.

"It's...it's not a corpse! She's Miku!" Rin's hands are shaking.

"Miku's dead. Don't pretend like that's not true." Meiko shrugs.

Kaito grins. "Found it! It's here!" He takes out a packet of tissues, and brandishes them at Rin. She smacks them out of his hand.

"D-Don't..." She glares at him through reddened eyes.

Meiko leans her elbows on the table. "Anyway, we need to get that out of here. Who's with me?"

"I agree. It's unhygienic, but..." Luka looks out the window, icy blue eyes studying the pouring rain. "We should have preserved the crime scene better, in any case. Now that we've moved the body, we've messed it up already. You've probably ruined valuable evidence, Gakupo." She glares at him.

Rin sniffs, wiping the tears from her eyes.

I want to say something, but...

Right now, from Gakupo's explanation, they believe I'm the culprit...or Tei is. No one would listen to anything I have to say.

Still, even if he thinks I'm the killer...it makes me feel uncomfortable, that way that Luka treats him.

After all, the evidence...there was a rainstorm.

If there was any evidence in the place that Miku had been...murdered, it would have been washed away by the rainstorm. The evidence that Luka's talking about is probably already gone.

"...evidence?" Ia asks.

"Well, of course it's evidence. People don't stab themselves in the back. If Miku was killed, then the killer...is probably either here with us or out in the woods." Luka speaks bluntly, but...what she's saying is the truth. It's raining so hard, it would be hard for them to get back to the town.

"E-Eh?!" Ia jumps back, as if she's been shocked with electricity. "I-In this room with us?"

That's more words than I've ever heard Ia say in sequence...this must be shaking her up, too.

"They could be out in the woods, too. So you don't have to worry about that-" Luka tries to speak gently, but she's cut off.

Rin stands up, her shoulders shaking. "I know who did it! It was them!" She points at me and Tei. "They were there! Me and Gakupo saw them! H-He was standing above her body! They k-killed Miku!"

"That's a lie!" Tei gasps. "We just stumbled upon it!"

"...I don't want to believe that anyone in this room would be a killer." Neru stares at us all. "Let's just assume that it's someone else-"

"But  _they killed her!_ " Rin shouts, tears running down her face.

"They might have." Neru shrugs. "But still..."

"They're the killers!" Rin shouts. "Don't you dare even try to say that-"

"They might damn well be the killers! It's more likely than anyone else, but I'm not going to decide that yet!" Neru yells back finally.

...does anyone not think I'm the killer? This is scary...

I didn't kill Miku. I didn't. But no one will listen to our side of the story.

At this rate, we should just lie down and die-

"Hey...Neru-san." Tei speaks softly, looking at the table. Her long white hair masked her face. "If someone was going to be the killer...this 'unknown person X'...the most likely choice would be you, wouldn't it?"

Neru gasps.

"After all, you and Miku-san were partners, weren't you? And you weren't there when Len and I found his body. And we're not the only ones who can testify to that. Rin-san and Gakupo-san didn't see that either, did they? You weren't anywhere near there." Her voice is soft and sweet, but...there's an undercurrent of danger.

"So, tell me, Akita Neru-san. Why weren't you there near Miku-san's body when we found it? Or even there at all? Did you flee the crime scene? It really was a great setup, I think. Set everyone else up into pairs, so that we'll all be separate from you, and no one can hear Miku-san scream and struggle. We'll be far from each other and from civilization, so she can't run for help to anyone. It really was a great crime, Neru-san."

Neru takes a step back, face white.


	5. Divided Destinies Arc IV

"I didn't kill anyone." Neru hisses. She glares at us, her body tense.

"Sukone-san has a point." Luka nods. "All of the evidence-"

"I didn't kill anyone!" Neru yells. "Don't-"

"We don't think you did, Akita-san." Kaito smiles, his hands up in a gesture of peace.

"I didn't. And I wouldn't have." Neru's eyes were dangerous, chips of ice.

"...you didn't kill anyone." Rin's voice is shaky, and I turn to look at her. Her face is pure white, and her body shakes.

I should reach out my hand to comfort her, but…

"After all, Sukone is just framing you. She's a monster, a monster…" Rin's voice almost breaks as tears run down her face. "I hate you...I hate you!"

Meiko stands up, reaching out her hand. "Kagamine-kun-"

"Don't come near me!" Rin shoves her hand away, sitting down again and leaning her face in her hands. I hear muffled sobs.

"Rin…" I sit still.

Tei puts her hand on mine, and smiles sweetly. "It's okay, Len-sama. It's not your fault."  
"..." I know I should have a better way to respond to this.

"You know." Kaito smiles, in the fakest way I've seen yet. "Kagamine-san, you and your brother should go to bed. After all, you're still just kids."

Wait a second. That...actually is a good idea.

"Then I'll follow you." Sukone-san stands up as I do. I hear Meiko snicker. Dammit...but...she couldn't mean that, right? I mean, it did...ah, I'm being stupid again.

"Hey, and Ia should go too." Kaito adds.

"I'm 20." She stares at him flatly.

"Still younger than the rest of us. This is a discussion for the old people." He laughs, but there's a strange tone to it.

Rin stands too, although she's still a bit shaky. She leaves ahead of us, without a word. Ia follows her.

I guess I'll go too. Tonight...that's going to be pretty hard, isn't it?

* * *

"So...now it's just the five of us." Meiko sighed.

"You…" Luka frowned. "You are going to talk about 'that event', five years ago, aren't you?"

Kaito flinched for a moment before his usual smile was back on his face. "Yes."

"What event?" Gakupo glanced around the room, a frown on his face. "What are you all talking about?"

"You idiot." Luka glared at him. "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry." He bowed his head.

"You should be. How in the world do you not know this?" The pink-haired woman huffed. "I don't understand you. You're truly worthless, aren't you?"

Gakupo's shoulders hunched. "I'm very sorry…"

"It's not his fault he doesn't know about that." Neru frowned. "Don't worry. I'll be able to tell you. But...why now?"

And then Kaito broke down into sobs.

"What-" Luka began.

"I...I…" He did not look at them.

* * *

Rain lashed against the ground, and thunder boomed. As the door opened and the two crept out, it seemed like nature's wrath was in full force.

The pink-haired woman shivered. "It's cold…we should have brought warmer coats."

"Luka, are you sure…" Gakupo stared ahead of the two of them as the storm raged.

"With what Shion told us...I'm not going to remain there like a sitting duck. Someone is trying to kill us, and I do not intend to let it happen. Come on."

The sky flashed, the pale light of the lightning illuminating their faces as they walked forwards.

"...do you think it's the truth?" Gakupo asked.

"What?"

"What Kaito-san told us."

"You idiot! People are trying to kill us! Whether or not some reason made up by a madman is the truth or not doesn't matter when two people are already dead! Don't ask me such ridiculous questions!" Luka snapped, but there was a tinge of uncertainty.

"I'm sorry…"

It seemed like they could walk on for hours, and still not run into anyone or anything, or come to an end to their journey. Gakupo's hand entwined with Luka's, and she did not push it away. The cold rain drenched their bodies, and the night was so dark that it was nearly impossible to see.

A twig cracked behind them, and Luka jumped, her long pink hair swirling around her face as she turned. Lightning flashed, stark white light illuminating her face.

"Who's there?!" she called out.

There was nothing.

"We should hurry." Gakupo cast a glance behind them, suppressing a shudder. "This could be dangerous."

"It could." The voice came from in front of them, and they whirled in a second.

The purple-haired man took a step back, while Luka gasped, holding onto his arm. "What are you doing here?" Gakupo hissed.

Ugh, someone's shouting. The storm last night was really nasty, and it was hard enough for me to get to sleep. I don't need this…

Hey, is that Rin shouting?

I open my eyes.

"Rin?"

She huddles on her bed and she screams. She just screams. She's on the bed across from me, her eyes wide in fear.

Gakupo's head is lying next to her on the pillow, cleaned of blood and lying down.

I jump up, running over to her, and I step on something, skidding on the floor. I look down-it's pink. Nothing in our room is pink...

It's Luka's hair. Luka's head is on our floor...right next to Ia's. Ia's head didn't stand on its neck on its own like hers, stood on its severed neck. They just knocked it over on the floor...

I scream, too. I was trying to be strong for Rin, but now...God, this is so brutal, I don't even believe it. Rin's screaming, clawing at her face, and she throws Gakupo's head onto the floor.

It hits me in the leg.

God, this is so fucked-up. So fucked-up it's almost funny. I stand up and put my hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Rin. I-I-I-I-I-I-It's..."

She doesn't push it away, but she's looking at something-something behind me? Why does she look so scared?

I turn.

There was one more head I didn't notice. It had been behind me, on my bed.

That was...Sukone-san's...head...

Rin screams, and I scream, and we're holding each other tight, because that's the only thing that we can do right now. Tei is dead, and Miku is dead, and now we're all that we have. God, how...

And then, from behind me, I hear a cough.

"They...you..." Akita-san, horrified.

"L-Len-kun?" Kaito-senpai, shocked.

"...so." Meiko-senpai, cold.

They're standing in the doorway-those three, together. Neru and Kaito are staring in pure horror.

"You...You  _killed them..."_ Neru is as white as a ghost.

Meiko's face is contorted in pure rage. "You sick fucks."


	6. Divided Destinies Arc V

  
I stand up and take a step back, but Rin's already yelling at them.

"Y-You...you've got way less of an alibi than us! How do we know that you d-didn't kill them...or Teto? Kasane's still out there!"

Meiko looks at Rin harshly. "I think that that, at least, you don't need to worry about...because Kasane's corpse was in our room. It was burned horribly...but I could identify those weird drills anywhere."

No...

"With these corpses, it's likely the five of us are the only ones alive." Neru's voice shook, but she said it.

"We've...Tei proved you were the murderer last night." I glare at her. "So-"

"Akita-san has an alibi." Shion-senpai's voice is quiet. "Mei-chan and I kept an eye on her and each other. So...you are the only ones available. I...Len-kun, I don't like to think this. But...it's really, really likely that...you're the culprit!"

I take a step back again. I try to say in front of Rin-even though I'm a terrible brother, I should be able to protect her at least.

"...Shut up, Kaito!" Meiko shouts those words, and she...she has a gun in her hand.

The barrel of the gun is pointed at my head.

A gun. Where did she get a gun?

"Kagamine, I don't want to hurt you...but if you've killed all of those people, then I will have to." She grits her teeth. "Give me an alibi."

"I-I was asleep, so was Rin..." I'm too scared to even say this. "M-Meiko-senpai, I..."

She raises her eyebrows, and-

I'm too scared to do anything except lash out with my hand, knocking the gun out of her hand.

It clatters to the floor, the noise loud in my ears as Meiko-senpai stares at me in shock.

I grab Rin's hand. I have to protect her, and I run, shoving Meiko-senpai to the floor as I run as fast as I can.

There's a noise behind us, a bullet being fired, and it thuds somewhere. I'm not hurt, and neither is Rin, so we just keep running.

* * *

Meiko swore under her breath. "Didn't know the boy had it in him."

"...wh-what do we do?" Neru shuddered.

Kaito frowned. "We...we should just get down to the town. Maybe go and...see if..."

"They'll get away." Meiko's face was a dark scowl.

"But even if they do get away, I can't deal with this. We need to tell the police..." Kaito fiddled with his scarf.

Meiko put her hand on Kaito's arm. "We can do this. Let's...let's try to get out of here."

* * *

I'm crying. Rin's crying. I don't even know where we're running, or why we are running...

Oh yeah. Meiko has a gun.

How  _wonderful._ I almost laugh. This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me, ever.

We're outside now. Snuck out the back door. The grass is brushing against my legs, soft against my feet.

There's something. A gardening shed. Something from before this building's days as a resort. I run to it, shoving my side into the door-

It swings open.

Rin runs in, and I close the door behind us. She grabs a heavy shovel from the wall, cradling it in her hands.

I take a deep breath, sinking to a sitting position. "Th-That was..."

"We'll..." Rin's voice is tiny. "We'll have to kill her."

"What?!" I stare at her. I mean...I understand that right now, Meiko-senpai...isn't capable of listening to reason.

But...to kill her...or Kaito-senpai...or Akita-san...

All of those are thoughts I don't want to have.

I don't want to kill anyone. I can't think of killing anyone. Even though we...saw those bodies...

I don't want to kill anyone! I just want...

I want to go home. I want things with Rin to be better. I want this to be a bad dream. I want to wake up. I want to date Sukone-san.

I don't want this.

I don't want this.

I don't want this!

But no matter how much I scream in my head, no matter how much I pray, nothing can change.

This is...

"Rin...I don't want to kill her...I..."

"Len." Her voice is quiet.

She's behind me right now, isn't she? Like in that children's game, Kagome Kagome.

"...I didn't think that you were the killer. I thought it could have been you or Akita or Meiko-senpai. Even Kaito-senpai could have been the killer." Rin's voice is quiet, cold. "But...even so, you're...you're a suspect at the least. At the most...y-you murdered Miku."

Rin...

"So...I have to get rid of all the suspects. You're not free of suspicion, Len."

* * *

The trio moved across the lawn.

"Ah..." Kaito frowned. "There's...the road down to the village..."

It had been blocked off.

During the storm last night, trees had fallen, blocking the road.

Not only that, but...

Blood had stained the grass.

"Some of the murders must have taken place here." Neru frowned. "I guess that maybe someone tried to run?"

"Yeah..." Meiko frowned. "I'd guess Rin and Len must have killed the ones who weren't out here in their beds while they were sleeping." She sighed.

Kaito fidgeted with his scarf. "M-Mei-chan, don't you think you're jumping to conclusions? They might be a bit suspicious, but...that's no need to..."

"They've got to be the culprits." Meiko scowled. "Not only did they not give an alibi, but they ran away...They've got to be the culprits. They have to."

Kaito squeezed her hand.

"...well, I guess it's time for us to find them, then." Neru played with the end of her ponytail. "E-Even so...I don't know if it's a good idea to do this."

"Hmm?" Meiko, who had been already walking back towards the house with her gun cocked and a determined expression, turned her head around.

"I...I mean, I used to watch a bunch of American horror movies. I think 'slasher movie' was what they were called. In those, towards the end, the heroes would always try to track down the killer." Neru frowned. "And in those...they die. Because it's a bad idea to face down the killer like that."

Kaito shivered. "I kind of agree with Akita-kun, Mei-chan. We shouldn't-"

"Akita-kun does have a point. But she didn't account for one thing." Meiko shrugged. "Which group has the gun?"

* * *

I fall to my knees.

Len...Len. My brother.

I've killed him.

I remembered.

I remembered what I did. I remembered what he did.

The sky is dark outside, and I'm covered in blood.

His blood. Len's blood.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I killed him. I killed my brother. I am a monster. I killed him. I killed him.

His head is broken, smashed beyond recognition. He looks so pretty with red hair...

Fuck. I'm sick. I'm sick. I'm sick. I'm sick.

I killed him. No...I killed Len.

I should die too. We were born together, so we should die together.

I should die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die! I want to die! I want to die! I want to die! I want to die!

I raise the weapon towards myself. Just because I used it to bludgeon Len to death doesn't mean that I can't use it to stab myself. The blade is blunt, but it can still be used for this.

I'm sorry. But that won't do anything now. I can only atone by doing this.

My death is the only appropriate response. I must die. It's all I can do now.

I plunge the weapon into my stomach.

It doesn't work on the first time. It hurts so much, but it doesn't work. I have to plunge it in again. And again. And again. And again.

It hurts. Blood is everywhere.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

The world's going black, and I don't have enough strength to hold the shovel anymore. It falls to the ground with a crash.

I reach for Len's hand.

* * *

"They aren't anywhere in the house." Kaito took a deep breath. "They might be-"

"Crap!" Neru slapped her thigh. "I just remembered-"

"What?!" Meiko whirled around.

"Put the gun down, Haigo-san. I remembered something!" Neru grinned. "Outside this house, there's a gardening shed. They could be hiding in there."

The group ran out, out to the shed.

"It's probably locked..." Meiko frowned.

Kaito leaned on the door. "Well-"

It opened inwards, sending the blue-haired man falling backwards heavily.

"KAITO!" Meiko ran towards him, Neru a step behind her.

The blonde's face turned white. "Shion-san...I don't think we have anything to worry about."

In the darkness of the shed, there lay the Kagamine twins, hands joined weakly.

Len's head had been smashed into a pulp, barely recognizable as human. You couldn't tell who he had been except for his clothes.

Rin had a gaping wound in her chest, ribs broken and peering out. Blood stained her white shirt, forming a huge puddle around her. Her chest did not rise or fall.

"God..." Neru pressed a hand to her mouth.

Meiko's eyes were huge. "Did Rin..."

"N-No...we can't rest easy yet..." Kaito's voice shook. "S-Someone must have killed them!"

"How do you-"

There was a bang.

Kaito turned to Meiko, but her gun had not fired. Even so, Neru fell to the ground, blood pouring from the hole in her head.

Kaito's eyes widened. "A...Akita-san...what..."

Meiko turned, pointing her gun-and dropped it.

"N-No..." The brunette stared in horror. "You're dead! You're dead! We saw your body, all of us!"

Kaito's face was white. "St-Stay...away..."

"YOU'RE DEAD!" Tears were in Meiko's eyes. "You're dead!"

_-The End-_

**OVERVIEW OF DIVIDED DESTINIES ARC**

Truly, this one was a tragic story. No knowledge was gained, no people were saved.

A true tragedy.

Hatsune Miku-Found stabbed in the woods. No one knows what happened to her. She never got to reunite with the one she loved.

Kamui Gakupo-His body was missing, but his head was placed in the Kagamines' room. He was killed with Luka while trying to run away. Blind until the end.

Megurine Luka-Her body was missing, but her head was placed in the Kagamines' room. She was killed with Gakupo while trying to run away. Don't you know you can't run?

Ia-Her body was missing, but her head was placed in the Kagamines' room. It is likely that she was killed in her sleep. Even bystanders will suffer in this story.

Sukone Tei-Her body was missing, but her head was placed in the Kagamines' room. It is likely that she was killed in her sleep. A truly unlucky girl.

Kasane Teto-Her body was found burned up. She went missing several hours prior to her body being found. She died as she lived.

Kagamine Len-His head was beaten in by a shovel. With everyone he loved dead, what was he to do?

Kagamine Rin-She was stabbed repeatedly, but it was more blood loss and broken ribs that killed her than any trauma to the heart. She remembered, but too late.

Akita Neru-Shot in the head. Foolish girl, she thought that she could live on.

Shion Kaito-Shot in the head, in an unknown situation. He never came back.

Haigo Meiko-Shot in the head in an unknown situation. She was perhaps the most evil.

_-The End-_

* * *

When I open my eyes, everything is dark.

In front of me is a girl. She's tiny, Chinese, with long grey hair and teal eyes.

"Kagamine Len. It's nice to meet you. I am Luo Tianyi." She bows deeply, and her long hair brushes the floor.

"Wh-Why are you here?" I move back. The last I remember is Rin and the pain...

"You could call me...a 'guardian angel', of sorts." She hasn't answered my question, why is that? "But...you weren't sorry."

"I...wasn't sorry?" I have no idea what this girl is talking about.

Tianyi continues, quietly. "You weren't sorry at all. Your sister noticed her crimes, and pleaded forgiveness for them. But you...you did not ask for forgiveness for your crimes."

"I-I-" I don't even know what to say to this. What are my crimes?

But...is the crime...

I'm...really a terrible brother, if an angel says...that's a crime...

"...I'm so sorry..."

"You really are regretful. But...there's something I'd like to ask you." Tianyi puts a hand on my arm. "I...will give you a second chance. Would you like it?"

"...what?"

Tianyi frowns. "'That person'. The one who was the killer. They must be stopped. But...I do not know...if you will be the one who can stop them."

"I...don't think I can." I stare at my feet. "I'm...really pathetic. I wouldn't be able to do this..."

"If you truly think so." Tianyi inclines her head.

* * *

What a boring toy.

I did my best, but he doesn't even acknowledge it-ah, how boring.

Still, I'm sure this next one will be far more fun.

Let's begin, shall we?

 


	7. Just Desserts Arc I

****

In the house, the ghost looked out the windows.

Her eyes did not see. They were blank and bloody pits.

Even so, she looked.

"...will it happen this time?" Her question was not addressed to anyone.

* * *

In a place of pure darkness, a tiny Chinese girl smiled.

"Young Len, I do believe in you...that, for one, is certain. But for right now, this is not your story."

* * *

The room smells of rot and blood. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

Someone died in this room. I know it.

I clutch my weapon-for right now, it's all I have left. They can't get me. They won't get me..

I'll kill them. I'll kill them all. Stupid traitors, worthless, disgusting, I'll kill them all! Let them try to do anything when their blood is painting these walls!

Insane. They called me insane. When everyone was dying, they called me insane but I'm not insane.

They're...they...I have to get them. I have to kill them before they can kill me. I HAVE TO!

I laugh. I don't know why I'm laughing. Even so, I still laugh.

* * *

_"Stupid girl."_

_"Fat."_

_"Slut."_

_"How in the world does he put up with her?"_

_"I can think of two reasons."_

_No._

_Stop saying those things._

_I hate you. You're liars. Liars liars liars._

_Stop saying those things about me!_

"Mei-chan?"

"Ah..." I had been having...quite a bad dream.

Normally, I don't think about those sorts of things. It's the future I should dwell on, not the past.

Even so...

Anyway, Kaito had woken me up.

So that sort of thing...wasn't relevant anymore.

"Thank you..."

He smiles at me. "It wasn't a problem. You looked like you were having a really bad dream. Besides, we're almost there."

There...back at that place.

Ah, I'm being superstitious. For anything like 'that' to happen again-that would be bad luck beyond anything one could imagine.

Wouldn't it?

I shouldn't talk about that kind of thing around Kaito, though. The stupid dork still puts the blame on himself, doesn't he? He would, certainly. It's just the sort of person he is.

So many times I've tried to tell him that it's not his fault. That he has to move on.

But that idiot never listens...that's just the sort of person he is. Even though it's not his fault, he'll keep on blaming himself because his kind heart says that he's to blame for anyone being hurt.

Even though it's stupid, that's one of the reasons I fell in love with him.

"...you shouldn't worry, Kaito."

"I-" For an instant, he looks surprised, and then he laughs. "You know me way too well, Mei-chan."

* * *

As they got off of the bus, everyone claimed their rooms. Rin kicked up a bit of a fuss over sharing a room with Len, but that was another thing.

However, before Gakupo could go to his room, Ia grabbed his arm.

"Ah...Ia-san, right? What did you want to talk about?" The purple-haired man frowned.

"I...have you heard about that 'disaster' that happened five years ago?"

"I don't think so." Gakupo frowned. "I heard about a crime in the newspapers, but..."

The white-haired girl sighed. "That 'disaster'...it happened in this very place. When a bunch of singers vacationed here."

"Ah..." A worried look flitted across Gakupo's face. "What a strange coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence." Ia turned to him, a look in her blue eyes that he couldn't read exactly. "Kamui-san...this place is cursed. You should beware. We...all of us...will have great misery visited upon us before this trip is done."

Gakupo took a step back.

He...did believe in the supernatural.

So when Ia looked at him with such a serious face, and told him those things...

He could not have any emotion but overwhelming fear.

* * *

"A curse? Gakupo, you're a fool. Curses don't exist." With those words, Luka looked at Gakupo with cold eyes. "Simple superstitions."

"I don't know..." Gakupo shook his head. "I-I mean, Ia seemed to believe it a lot."

Luka sighed. "Well, she's...what, 19? Young people like that have many delusions...ah, I sound like an old lady. It's not that I'm old, it's just that she's a teenager!"

Gakupo smiled. "Yeah, I get that. When I was in middle school, I think that I kept saying I was a samurai and kept flourishing my sword around. High school sure was weird, huh?"

A smile spread across Luka's face. "Yeah, I...ah, it's really embarrassing." She looked away, a tint of pink coloring her cheeks. "I-I mean...goodbye. I have a book to read..."

Luka...she was like that a lot of the time.

Gakupo actually thought he could understand that about Luka...she was afraid of showing emotion. Of showing that she was human.

So...she was cold. Whenever she ended up showing any failures, she pushed people away...literally, a lot of the time.

He got up. "Luka, wait!" But she didn't listen to him.

* * *

I'm checking out the kitchen first, of course. The people in charge bought food...and I can only hope that sake was included.

I open the fridge, and-

"Ah, Meiko-senpai...you came into here for a snack too?"

That voice...yeah, it's that kid. Len, right?

"Yeah. I'm looking for some sake...One cup Ozeki is my favorite." I grin. "But of course, most kinds are totally fine with me..."

"Is Kaito-senpai fine with that?" He frowns. "Your drinking?"

"Huh? Sure, he's fine..." I shrug. "Ah, there's none in here, that sucks. Then again, you kids at least are under the drinking age, right?"

"I...that's besides the point!" Len's face turns bright red. Ahaha, so making fun of his age is a way to get to him.

"You really are a kid, huh? Hey, how about I call myself your nee-san instead of Meiko-senpai?"

"What-that's not-No way! I...already have a sister, anyway!" Len takes a step back, hands out in front of him.

...ha. Even though normally I don't like interacting with others, this kid sure is pretty fun.

There's an apple, so I take it out. It may not be sake, but apples are still tasty...

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

That...was a scream.

I whirl around. I wish I had brought my gun with me.

A gun...it might have been a bit of an overreaction, but Kaito was so worried that it rubbed off on me a little.

"It came from upstairs!" Len says, his face pale.

As we run out of the room, we run into Neru.

She's been running down the stairs. Her face is white, and she's shaking.

"O-Oh...you guys are coming already...that's good."

"What?!" If this is what I think this is, it's...really terrible. But it couldn't be that. That would be ridiculous.

"There's..." Neru swallows. "Someone's been killed."


	8. Chapter 8

  
"What. The. Hell." I stare at Neru, scanning her face. Her eyes are wide, she's trembling and sweating-whatever's going on, she doesn't like it. "You have got to be bullshitting me!"

" _Dead?_ " Len's voice is dull in horror and shock. "Wh-Who-"

"Luka's dead. G-Gakupo's missing. We...it looks like he killed her."

_Gakupo?_  Killing  _Luka?_  That's-I  _saw_  the way he looked at her. He looked at Luka like the fucking stars shone out of her ass. He'd kill her when the sky fell and the world ended.

I shove past her, walking up the stairs. "I have to see this."

"...killed?" Len's voice is tiny, shocked.

There's something. I  _know_  this is bad. I know what this reminds me of.

I walk into Gakupo and Luka's room, Neru and Len after me. The corpse should be here.

It is.

Luka's lying on the ground, with a sword sticking out of her chest. It's stabbed deep in. A katana.

The Kamuis are some big kendo family. I know Gakupo brought his sword here.

To stab his girlfriend? It doesn't make  _sense._

The smell of blood's thick in my nose.

"Meiko-senpai?"

That's the other kid-Kagamine's twin sister. She looks like her. She seems scared, and her hand's in Miku's. She looks scared, and so does Miku. The others in the room are Ia, Sukone, and-

No. Those four are the only ones in here. That's odd. I swear I saw someone else, for a split second...

"We have to call the cops." I put my hands on my hips.

"Reception's bad." That's Ia. Girl of few words if I ever met one.

Neru frowns deeply. "I've been trying to call, but..."

Rin swallows. "We sent Neru and Teto to talk to the others after-we were all near here when it happened."

"When what happened?" I ask.

Miku frowns. "If you're interrogating us, we have an alibi. Rin and I were talking in her room."

"Neru was talking to me." Ia says.

Tei frowns. "I was...reading, in my room. I-I heard a weird noise, but I wasn't sure what it was...Then I heard Teto scream, so I ran in to check, and we found, uh, this. A...murder..."

Ia turns to me. "Meiko-san. I was doing research on this place."

"What kind of-"

"Five years ago. At that disaster. You were here, weren't you?"

Shit.

I wasn't actually there, but the others were. Anon. Kanon. Yuuma. Teto, though she got out alive-she was the only one. Haku. Yukari.

Gumi.

Rin looks between us. "Ia-san? What are you talking about?"

"I wasn't. Neither was Kaito. We...knew them, though."

Thank god she's talking to me about this and not my other half. He's...

It's not his fault.

I told him, time after time, that it wasn't his fault.

But he…

It wasn't his fault. He couldn't have stopped anything. Things would have gone on. What we did, one way or the other, didn't matter.

"I know what is happening." Ia's eyes are fiery. "This place is cursed."

I stare at her, and then I begin to laugh.

"Ia, you're crazy! Ghosts aren't real!"

The others don't seem as skeptic. Len is staring at the body, and Tei is grabbing onto his arm. I wonder if they're-nah.

It's hard to keep my glance from going to Luka. Her body...her face is frozen in a look of surprise, her hair lying around her. The sword is stabbed straight through her.

It's sick. But it's not what Kamui would do.

"They are." Ia hisses. "Because...IT'S BECAUSE MEGUMI'S STILL ANGRY AT YOU!"

Megumi.

I remember Kaito's tearstained face.

_"Meiko, we have to do something..."_

"Don't speak her name!"

I shout that. The kids are looking at me.

The door creaks open. It's Teto, leading Kaito. His face...he looks sick. Pale. Afraid.

"Mei-chan, what were you-"

"We were talking about the murder." I change the subject. It's-considering what happened there, it's best if Kaito doesn't hear  _her_ brought up. Or ghosts.

He clutches for the wall. "The... _murder_..."

Ia looks at him, and I want to punch her damn throat in. It's enough Megurine is dead! You don't have to-bring  _that_  into this!

Especially since...

God.

God.

Fucking god.

The way he looked at her. The way he flinched when she moved a little too much, or started speaking loudly in a discussion. The way her eyes got when she looked at him.

Wasn't that like...

_Fuck._

"Meiko-san?"

Rin's voice breaks me out of my thoughts. Good. It's...that's just a stupid thought, anyway. It couldn't be like that.

"I'm fine."

"What are you guys talking about?" Miku frowned. "You're leaving us way out of the loop on this."

Kaito blinks. "On what?"

"The curse, or ghosts, or whatever happened..." Len swallows, and then his eyes widened. "Oh my god."

"It wasn't a curse." Teto holds herself. Yeah, that's right, she was here  _then._

" _Oh my god._ "

"Len?" Rin turns to him. "What is it?"

He's found out.

"It's  _nothing._ " I step over to Kaito and Teto. "Nothing."

We've divided nearly fully into two groups. On one side, there's me, Kaito, and Teto. On the other, Rin, Len, IA, and Miku. Neru's waving her phone around, trying to get some sort of signal. Sukone's dithering around in between the groups.

Gakupo's body is between us.

"What the hell!?" Rin shouts. "You can't keep important stuff from us like this!"

"...People...were murdered here. Five years ago.A curse, maybe, but...they  _brought us to a place people had been killed_!" Len's voice isn't as strident as his sister's, but he's angry too. "What _happened?_ "

"I..." Sukone glances at Teto. "Um, five years ago...there was another trip here...and everyone died. Teto-senpai was there, but she was the only survivor...they were all murdered. By a girl...a girl named Nakajima Megumi."

Megumi.

_"Call me Gumi! Everyone does."_

That's how Megumi introduced herself to me.

She'd been peppy. Cheery. She...hadn't been that, not at the end.

We couldn't have done anything. We couldn't.

Kaito's breathing hard. Teto looks worried, but...

"It's a curse. It's her curse." Ia's gaze is intense. "The one who escaped her-hat must be a tempting prize for Megumi."

"A real ghost?" Miku frowns. "That...can't be real, can it?"

"It's..." Teto frowns. "I don't think you guys can be right." She's looking scared, though. "I mean...a ghost? That can't be real. B-But if it-"

"It's. Not." I'm going to end this here. "There's no such thing as ghosts. There's no such damn thing as ghosts."

I feel a shiver run down my spine as I say that, like-no. I can't get superstitious. "The only thing that happened was that Gakupo killed Luka. And we're going to find him and hunt him-"

There's a noise, an earth-shattering  _bang._

Len jumps, and Kaito whirls. Teto looks like she's about to faint.

"What-" Miku begins.

"A...gunshot." Neru whispers.

 


End file.
